One-hundred Naked Places… North America

100 places to get naked before you die

PART ONE: NORTH AMERICA (Updated, June 2019)

I began the “One-hundred Naked Places” project back in 2014, shortly after I started this blog. Of course, the day you hit publish, it’s already out of date, but I’m making a few revisions here in 2019 to this, and related pages.

I had been meaning to create this list for a very long time, but it’s actually a very complex endeavor. The very things that we may be looking for in a naturist destination are exactly the things the next person will find to be a deal breaker. And how do you organize the list? Put all your favorites at the top? (Nobody will ever click through to the last page!) Organize by region? (France has hundreds of possibilities, while the entirety of Asia has only a few.)

It is worth noting that we began our naturist explorations in France at a time when we were wanting to find a comfortable place for a family naturist vacation with three (then) pre-adolescent children. (You can read more about that here and here.) That said, my list of naked places in North America is a bit skewed in the shadow of our experiences with naturism abroad. And this also represents a period of nearly 25 years of trying places out. Our first visit to Desert Sun Resort (then Desert Shadows Inn) was in 1994. A lot has happened with that property since then, but it remains a “top shelf” destination on our list. And so it is, that many of my one or two line commentaries are significantly dated. (If we found a place to have a bad vibe back in the late nineties, why bother to go back for another dose of the same!)

I’ll publish these pages as I finish each region. I suspect the number will turn out to be well over 100 naked places, including those we haven’t visited yet, but hope to do so.. before we die! And unfortunately, there are a few places that would have made our best of the best list (thinking the likes of Grand Lido Braco in Jamaica) that have since gone out of existence. And I won’t bother to list the places I know to exist, but we simply have no desire to visit. What’s the point? But… if you know of a place we should add to our “bucket list,” please comment below and we’ll check it out. You’ll have a pretty good sense of our definition of naturist nirvana after combing through a few pages of my blog.

And oh… seems we have virtually NO naturist photography from our naked travels in the US. (Restrictions at naturist places are simply too great – and becoming more so – and many of our visits to US destinations predate digital photography.) The photos on this page are either from our foreign travels, or in some cases, vintage photos of American naturism that I thought to be simpatico with the ambiance I wish to create here.

The list for North America… in alpha order

Southern Vermont

Have been reading about this place for years, and it looks like a lovely destination with a nice family atmosphere. Vermont can be tricky when it comes to weather, but they say they’re well equipped for year-round naturist living.

West Virginia

We used to go to Avalon quite regularly, and especially enjoyed their summer folk music festival, which I think still happens. Our most recent visit was last summer (2018) during which we rented a condo unit, with the express intent of checking out some of the walking trails in the woods. The trails were pretty good, and it seems that some of the condos are very nice – but ours was not! To be fair, we had rented a pet friendly unit, and that may well have worked against us. Regardless, it’s an expansive place with a nice pool complex, and the walking trails are, indeed, nice.

Northern California

Northern California

Visited this iconic beach once, “back in the day!” (Meaning maybe 20 years ago, or more.) Lots of controversy in recent times about public nudity in the San Francisco bayarea, and of course, if it’s a public beach, you have the inevitable gawkers to deal with. I’ve linked to this, and other Bay Area locations to the nude beach pages in the Bay Guardian, which seems to be about the best resource out there right now for nude recreation in northern California.

Near Toronto, Canada

This is most definitely on our short-list of “must check it out” places, though Toronto is just far enough from where we live, and Toronto is just far enough north, that it would be a bummer to show up and hit a chilly weekend. But the owner has a strong presence in the naturist community, and it seems his park is setting the industry standard as to what a family naturist park should be. In fact, he even has regular podcast called The Naturist Living Show which I have found to be a valuable resource, even for the seasoned naturist.

Western Massachusetts

A beautiful little resort in the rolling hills of the Berkshires. We’ve only visited once – a LONG time ago – but at the time, it had a great vibe with huge grassy hills for sunning and camping. From the looks of their website, they’re wrestling a bit with “clothing-optional” policies. But given the location and what I remember of the place, I would gladly visit again.

Southern California

We have been to San Diego many times, but never quite managed to make the trek up to La Jolla. (We have an uncanny knack for arriving in San Diego during “June gloom.”) But it’s on our list as one of three really famous naturist beaches in the United States, so we’ve got to make it happen, eventually. The link goes to a webpage run by devotees. That’s a good sign, I think.

Northern California

Another link here to the Bay Guardian reviews, noting that we visited Bonny Dune a few times over two decades ago, and even back then, we were a little unnerved by the onlookers (gawkers!) who seemed a bit less than altruistic. Beautiful beach, but we found more privacy at nearby Red, White & Blue beach which had a private access road – but today, is no longer accessible to the public.

Florida

We have visited this resort once, within the first year of their grand opening. From our perspective, quite a sad story as I believe the original intent was to create an upscale, holistic naturist resort in an effort to cater to an American crowd with European sensibilities! Our one visit there was with good friends, and we both had children in tow. The sexual undercurrent and less-than-family-friendly policies suggested the business model was already beginning to unravel – within months of opening their doors! Check the recent Trip Advisor reviews, and you will find a significant divide between the people who still adore the place, and those who deliberately stay far, far away. Sadly, we find ourselves in the latter group. Too bad.

Northern Vermont

Another intriguing place we’ve been meaning to check out in snowy Vermont! I still have a problem thinking about traveling north in search of a place to be naked and warm, but this looks like a good bet if there’s one to be had near the Canadian border. Hoping I can move this from the wish list to a trip report in the coming year!

Central Florida

Would put this on our top shelf of naturist destinations had it not been for our last visit – quite a few years ago – with our teenage children. It was clear the management was working hard to make this a family naturist destination, but it was also clear that the locals who owned units there were not too crazy about our kids splashing in the pool. (I suppose any parent would say this about his own kids, but our kids really were pretty tame in the rowdiness department!) They’ve made a lot of upgrades to the grounds since our first visit in the 90s, and you really can stay there and do the Disney thing. Our kids are grown now… Maybe we should check this place out again.

Southern California

Made our first visit to DeAnza Springs last year, and I’ve got to say, it is in the middle of nowhere near the Mexican Border! But I say that in the most encouragingly sort of way, in that the possibilities for nude hiking in the vast desert are, in fact, seemingly limitless? And the chances are good that when the rest of the country is cold and gray, it may well be sunny and warm at this desert retreat. The amenities are pretty basic, but the people are friendly enough, and did I mention the nude hiking? You can read more in our trip report here.

Southern California

We made our first visit to this resort in 1994, when it was still called Desert Shadows Inn. At the time, they only had nine rooms, and were just about to unveil a new area called the Chapparal, with basic hotel rooms and a pool with a volleyball net. I suspect we’ve been back more than a dozen times since then, having stayed in each type of the various condos and hotel rooms. Having survived some turbulent management issues, and a resultant name change, the place remains to this day as our #1 naturist destination in the US. That’s saying a lot, as it’s quite a journey to get there from our current place of residence. We have plans to return in the coming year, along with blueprints to get a trip report back up online for this little naturist nirvana.

Northern California

One of the very first places we went when we were trying to find our naturist sea-legs! INCREDIBLE location, especially on a clear day when the fog is holding back away from the Pacifica coastline. But the problem there has always been undesirable spectators who wish to see naked humans. And recent Trip Advisor reviews express disgust from the clothed patrons who can’t get over the naked old men roaming the beach. Maybe it’s not that bad, but it sounds like a loosing bet to me.

Big Island, Hawaii

We finally got here in 2016, where we stayed several days in a modified yurt – the modification being a kitchen added to the side, a wrap-around deck, and outdoor shower and a hot tub. You have to be into rustic, remote, and rainy to fully appreciate this place, and there are rumors that they be ready to call the game, but we were glad we went. Pool is modest, but the BYOB poolside happy hour is typically a nice chance to chat with the owners and meet a few other aspiring naturists.

Northern California

This one is tricky! One of the first places we experienced social nudity as a young married couple, but there’s no question that the place has a different vibe! There are a lot of interesting reviews out there on this place, with a wide range of perspectives. (I think Felicity from the Young Naturists Association has a particularly well written review that I hope to make the subject of a future blog post. In any event, we have been back to this place many times over the years, and indeed, it has a few idiosyncrasies. But if you have the ability to ‘roll with it,’ it’s definitely worth a visit!

EDITOR’S NOTE: In 2015, a wildfire raged through this canyon and wiped the entire place out! Amazingly, they have rebuilt, and as of this writing, the pools are all open again and they are slowly rolling out accommodations, some of which appear to be quite nice. We haven’t been since the fire, but their comeback is a remarkable story of resilience!

Northern California

Have been meaning to get here for year, but have never quite made it. (One day, it started raining when we were ten minutes from the gate, so we turned around and went home!) They seem to have a devoted following, though it’s located in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley near Sacramento. Not sure if that’s my ideal vacation destination. If we ever manage to get there, I’ll post a review.

Big Island – Hawaii

We went to the Sunday drum circle here while staying at Hangin’ Loose. Essentially a hippie crowd – some of whom came to get naked, some of home came to make music, some who just came to hang out. The black sand is famous, and makes for some great photo ops, though probably a bit more-so when the beach is less crowded.

Tampa, Florida

In fairness, I have only been here on a day visit years ago, in the middle of the week. The place was looking tired, the hotel rooms were pretty rustic, and I was a little unnerved by the local lingerie concessions operating from the permanent trailer campsites. Again, the place seems to have a loyal following, and there’s a lot of competition in the neighborhood, but the place didn’t inspire me enough to book my next holiday there.

Maui, Hawaii

WHY!!?? Why are we so uptight about nudity when there are such beautiful beaches to be had? Thankfully, Little Beach on Maui has maintained it’s clothing optional reputation, and the day we were there, it was about 50/50 clothed/naked. You have to be pretty sea worthy to get into the waves (e.g. a really good swimmer), as there are some harrowing stories of those who didn’t respect the ocean. But the view and the vibe is great.

Southern California

We have only visited once, and we felt incredibly welcomed by the owners of this quiet little inn. The only thing that knocked it off the top shelf is the location. Palm Desert seems a million miles from Palm Springs, and if you’re in sleuthing out great restaurants and the like, there is a vast difference between the two. We really need to go back and see what they’ve done in recent years, but we really enjoyed our stay there and they seem eager to capture a slice of this niche market.

Northern California

Here again, it’s been a long, long time since we’ve visited this sweet little hamlet in the Santa Cruz mountains, and at that, we stayed in a yurt, during the winter, on a cold, drizzly weekend. At the time, it seemed like they were working hard to find a business model that would address the needs of the modern naturist, but I have no idea what’s happened since then. But it is a gorgeous place. We should go back some time.

Northern California

An intriguing little inn on the northern end of the Napa Valley that seems to be marketing to an upscale crowd with upscale pricing. If I’m reading the website correctly, it’s the poolside that’s clothing-optional, but given the propensity of warm sunny days in that part of California, poolside would do the trick. It’s definitely on our “TO-DO” list.

Arizona

Finally made it to Mira Vista Resort this past winter – a bit off season and reaching into the midweek. Seems to be the naked hangout for a lot of Tucson locals, but our room was very nice, and it looks like they will soon have a lot of condo units that will go into the tourist rental pool as well. Located on the northern edge of Tuscon, there are plenty of opportunities for seeking out nice restaurants, and the February sunshine was a welcome respite from the relentless winter of the Northeast. We’re eager to go back when the place is running at full tilt!

Colorado

I’ve just added this one to my bucket list as I have a friend who swears by the place and has been going for years. Seems that if you’re into long naked walks, the possibilities here are many. Again, someplace I’m hoping to visit in the near future.

Tampa, Florida

I had to ponder this one for a few minutes before deciding if this would go on the second or third tier. We stayed there once, a long time ago, before that Caliente place opened down that road. It was good, but at the same time, had some of those peculiar “Florida nudist resort” vibes we’ve experienced elsewhere in the neighborhood. Was going to take the high road on this one, until I linked this post their website, which evokes an image that simply… isn’t…. us! 😦

Eastern Pennsylvania

I think their website pretty much says it all! From what I have read, this was really an important place in the American nudist movement during the 50s and 60s. Problem is, I’m not sure much has changed since that time! When we started exploring naturist Europe, we tried convincing our kids this was the American equivalent of a French naturist resort. They didn’t take the bait, and in fact, they were right. Maybe one day it was, but today? It’s a beautiful spot, and the people are friendly, (though decidedly on the upper end of the age demographic!) but for us, a good bit less than a favorite destination.

Maryland

Here’s another place, that when you look at their website, you get the sense they are trying to reinvent themselves. Just a short distance from the stunning town of Annapolis, this place has loads of potential. We visited once when our kids were quite young, but the place had a complicated and restrictive policy that only allowed a certain number of visits until you had to pay the annual fee, which was well beyond our resources at the time. They may well have reworked that by now, and to be sure, the property is lovely, but we’ve not ventured back since that first encounter.

Northern California

Another place we haven’t been to for a long, long time. And when we did go, it was sort of a chilly, foggy day. But the place had a really nice vibe back then with a crowd of friendly regulars who seemed to be watching out for each other. You have to work a bit to get there, making your way down the beach around an outcropping of rocks. Seems that gave the place a level of privacy that other public nude beaches don’t enjoy.

New Jersey

I keep reading about this place and its role in the history of the American naturist tradition. Haven’t actually had the opportunity to visit, but it’s on the short list – if just for the nostalgia of it all. In recent times, they’ve really upped their game on social media, with a targeted attempt to draw in a younger crowd. On our short list!

New Jersey

This place nearly got washed out to sea by Super-Storm Sandy a while back, but it seems they’re back up and running again now. Here again, one of just a few fully vetted naturist beaches in the entirety of the United States, but quite a different vibe than anyplace we’ve visited abroad. Eclectic might be a good euphemism for the crowd that gathers there on most weekends, which for us, was always just edgy enough to never go there with the family. If you like people watching, this place will keep you entertained – dawn to dusk.

Northern California

One of our very first outings to a traditional nudist camp. The place is located deep in a beautiful little canyon in the hills above Hayward, California. Twenty years ago (at the time of our visit) we had the sense the place was struggling, but a quick glance at their website suggests things are pretty much as they were two decades ago. Seems nude hiking is possible there. Didn’t know that back then. Would be worth a visit just for that!

Connecticut

We have friends who called this their home base while their kids were growing up. Have never quite made it there ourselves, but it seems they’ve been pretty aggressive in promoting a positive image for family naturism. Given what little I know about the place (but my generally positive perception of the place) I’m a little perplexed by the disparity of the reviews on Trip Advisor. Therein lies the essence of the many contradictions in the American naturist movement todayl Nobody can quite seem to figure out what it is!

Southern California

Honestly not sure what to make of this one!! We visited the original Terra Cotta Inn over ten years ago and had a nice enough stay. Subsequently, they closed, but the name has been recaptured for a new property with new owners. That said, Tom and Mary Claire – the original proprietors – have maintained an active role in advertising/advocating for the new place. Mary Claire has a strong presence on social media, and suffice it to say, some of her posts go a bit beyond the norms of “family oriented naturism.” I have wondered if that has been a help or a hindrance to the new place. We love Palm Springs, and will probably get back here one day, as the property looks great on the web.

39 thoughts

Nice collection! Sorry that you missed the gem of the Midwest, Mazo Beach in Wisconsin. The following article was borrowed from a very early website of ours and reposted on that beach’s supporter’s website (which we originally created for them).

This being the most beautiful part of the Wisconsin River, it’s been a matter of contention for decades by those who wish to get rid of naked people. Visitation now is limited to weekends due to the actions of a minority of non-nudists who do not subscribe to naturist ideals. For the sake of political correctness, we will not identify that group of men seeking casual sex. Oops.

In any event, this beach is well worthy of being included in any compilation of nude beaches in North America, and much more representative of social nudism than high-end resorts catering to folks who spend hundreds of dollars to take their tops off for one weekend each year. These are real nudists and we happen to be among them. http://friendsofmazobeach.wordpress.com/about-mazo-beach/

Great… I’ll check it out and maybe at it to the list. Clearly, we’ve spent more time on each coast of the country than we’ve spent in the middle. I suspect there are some lovely places in the middle states that have simply been outside of our typical flightpath.

Thanks for reading. I realize giving ratings is a dicey business, and I reiterate that the ratings simply reflect OUR preferences of what we’re looking for in clothes-free recreation. They are admittedly subjective. But I thought that would be helpful as I post similar lists for other continents – as a reference point.

I think your characterization if Gunnison is a bit off. I take the kids there every summer and there’s no reason not to. It’s got lifeguards and is patrolled by rangers. The place is ok for families. I see kids there all the time.

Admittedly, we are not regulars, but two of the times we have gone, we have seen some “frolicking” that would have made us uncomfortable had the kids been with us. And, in total fairness, it’s just a different vibe than we’ve experienced on the family naturist beaches in France.

no problem! i dig the blog. i just don’t want to discourage people with kids from going to gunnison. it’s a huge beach and as such people who think they are out of sight may push the limits. if it seems too sketchy, i’ll let a ranger know. i don’t want to ruin anyone’s fun, but i also would love to help make gunnison a place where everyone feels comfortable.

i actually live closer to lighthouse beach on long island and am still depressed that the NPS has killed nude use there. this has made gunnison a bit more crowded than before.

Thanks Stan – I get that, for sure! And, in fact, I’m right on board with you on that one! And to that end, I would never want to undermine the work that SO many have done/are doing to make Gunnison a great beach (including for families!) It’s really unfortunate the naturist community has to fight so hard simply to preserve a few precious spots! And compared to most other choices on the east coast, I think Gunnison IS one of the best family destinations. Just wish there were a few more, and that these destinations saw as many families as their counterparts all over Europe.

I live about 90 minutes away from Mazo Beach.I have never made the drive but I just learned of Toadally Natural Garden just up the road from me.I’ll be taking my first trip to a nudist destination this soon.

I hit Gunnison beach several times every Summer,and I was always very pleased by the eclectic mix one can find there at any given time. What your review failed to mention was the lifeguards who watch over things 7 days a week from Memorial to Labor. They save a life or two every year,and also discourage overt sexual behavior,making Gunnison a fine place to go with the family. I also tried Penn Sylvan once a couple of years back,and I sadly have to agree with your assessment,although it’s worth noting that the people were exceptionally nice when we were there.

Again… we had grown accustomed to some European destinations where the crowd is often 80% families. Maybe we’ve been a victim of unfortunate timing at Gunnison. Not saying it’s a bad place. Just quite a lot different from family naturism in Europe.

Would love to hear from others who have been to Gunnison, and some of the naturist beaches on the Cote d’Argent… with kids and the dog! 🙂

Indeed! And I almost included a couple on our “TO-DO list,” (Thinking Wreck Beach in Vancouver and The Oasis in Prince Edward) but honestly, given the distance and the short summers, I’m not to sure we’ll get there. But my sense is Canadians have a more – shall we say – European view of naturism, which I find very enticing.

Hey Dan, You’ll have to give one of our locations in the Clothing Optional Home Network a try…we have 7 C/O B&B locations in the US, 1 in Mexico and adding several by the end of 2014 in the US and Caribbean. Check them out and let us know if they meet your “Sunny” standard!

Hi Dan,
Your list seems to be about the United States, not North America.
There are quite a few great places in Canada and Mexico. None are mentioned.
Please consider Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park, http://www.bareoaks.ca.
Also in the States, there is a great Resort in South Texas, Natures Resort, Edcouch, Texas. http://www.naturesresorttexas.com
Please go to fcn.ca to see about places in Canada.